Unit 231 (White Rock Peak, Wilson Creek Range and Fortification Range)
Nevada Hunting Guide — Elk, Mule Deer
Unit 231 covers about 1,777 square miles of Lincoln and White Pine counties along the Utah line. NDOW's sheet puts archery elk high and near water around White Rock Peak, the Wilson Creek Range and the Fortification Range, with the rut starting in mid-September and a move toward winter range from late October. Three wilderness areas bar vehicles and game carriers.
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Elk Hunting in Unit 231
Unit 231 covers about 1,777 square miles of Lincoln and White Pine counties along the Utah line. NDOW's sheet puts archery elk high and near water around White Rock Peak, the Wilson Creek Range and the Fortification Range, with the rut starting in mid-September and a move toward winter range from late October. Three wilderness areas bar vehicles and game carriers.
Where to Find Elk in Unit 231: White Rock Peak, Spring Valley and Hamlin Valley
Reed Canyon to Coyote Summit around White Rock Peak
Elk use most of this unit. For archery, work the high country near water, and lean on that harder if it's been dry. The upper White Rock Peak area should hold good numbers from Reed Canyon north to Coyote Summit, and so should the high ground of the Wilson Creek Range and the Fortification Range in the north. Benches around Spring Valley and Camp Valley hold elk too. Those animals drop onto private farm fields at night.
Burns and habitat treatments during the rut
Bulls start bugling and gathering cows in mid-September. Openings in the pinyon-juniper left by fires or habitat treatments are prime spots then, and bugles and cow calls can locate a bull and pull him closer.
Spring Valley and Hamlin Valley winter range
Near the end of October, elk start drifting down toward winter range. If snow pushes them off the high ground, they may gather in Spring Valley, on the west side of the White Rock Peak area and on the west side of Hamlin Valley. Muzzleloader and rifle cow hunters should look lower, in dense pinyon-juniper, later in the year. Expect long glassing sessions, long hikes away from roads, and a long pack out.
The ground NDOW draws for this tag
A elk tag for this group is good in unit 231, about 1,777 square miles measured on NDOW's own boundary, in Lincoln County and White Pine County. The named ranges inside the line are Mahogany Mountains, Wilson Creek Range, Fortification Range, White Rock Mountains, Limestone Hills and Needle Mountains. The highest named points are Mount Wilson (9,319 ft), White Rock Peak (9,137 ft) and Parsnip Peak (8,898 ft), and the lowest named ground sits near 4,796 feet. We don't print a land-status split for Nevada groups, because the figures we held didn't come from BLM's surface-management data; check BLM's current map for private parcels before you cross a fence or a cattle guard. GNIS names 120 springs inside it, Buck Spring, White Horse Spring, Hackett Spring and Mud Spring among them.
Unit 231 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 5,528–8,299 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 6,334 ft ; peaks can run higher.
- 1,777.4 sq mi inside the boundary. Big enough that picking one drainage beats driving three.
Water on the ground
- 21 tanks
- 172 springs
- 28 stream segments
- 2 lakes
Counts from mapping data, so this is how many exist, not how many hold water in a dry year. Sitting water only pays where you find fresh tracks.
Named features inside the unit
Glass from: Wilson Creek Range (9,303 ft), White Rock Peak (9,137 ft), Parsnip Peak (8,898 ft), Government Peak (8,770 ft)
Holding ground: Horn Basin (8,196 ft), Pioneer Pass (8,102 ft), State Line Summit (7,699 ft), Riprap Springs, Basket Spring
Every one of these was tested against the unit polygon before it went on the map. They are starting points, not agency recommendations.
How to Hunt Elk in Unit 231: Atlanta Mine Road, three wilderness areas and the monsoon
Elk Success Rates
Antlerless, any legal weapon: 33 of 54 hunters afield (61%); Antlerless, any legal weapon: 29 of 51 hunters afield (57%); Antlered, any legal weapon: 29 of 41 hunters afield (71%); Antlered, any legal weapon: 32 of 38 hunters afield (84%). Figures are NDOW's own, from its 2025 Big Game Hunt Data.
Elk Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts (n/p) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle — Late Season bull/buck only (resident) | 75 | 1,664 | 4.5% | — |
| Rifle — Late Season bull/buck only (nonresident) | 7 | 764 | 0.9% | — |
| Rifle — Early Season antlerless (resident) | 55 | 1,237 | 4.4% | — |
| Rifle — Early Season antlerless (nonresident) | 6 | 52 | 11.5% | — |
| Rifle — Late Season antlerless (resident) | 50 | 567 | 8.8% | — |
| Rifle — Late Season antlerless (nonresident) | 5 | 59 | 8.5% | — |
| Rifle — Early Season spike only (resident) | 5 | 309 | 1.6% | — |
| Rifle — Late Season spike only (resident) | 5 | 95 | 5.3% | — |
| Archery — Early Season bull/buck only (resident) | 20 | 144 | 13.9% | — |
| Archery — Early Season bull/buck only (nonresident) | 2 | 223 | 0.9% | — |
| Archery — Early Season antlerless (resident) | 16 | 107 | 15.0% | — |
| Archery — Early Season antlerless (nonresident) | 2 | 5 | 40.0% | — |
| Muzzleloader — Mid Season bull/buck only (resident) | 11 | 77 | 14.3% | — |
| Muzzleloader — Mid Season bull/buck only (nonresident) | 1 | 36 | 2.8% | — |
| Muzzleloader — Early Season antlerless (resident) | 18 | 112 | 16.1% | — |
| Muzzleloader — Early Season antlerless (nonresident) | 2 | 9 | 22.2% | — |
Data from 2025 draw results. Each row is one residency pool — read the label before the number. This agency publishes no point thresholds, so the Pts column stays blank and these are pool odds, not what a point total draws.
Open in Draw Odds EngineFrom NDOW's 2025 Big Game Hunt Data. Demand is NDOW's count of tags awarded plus first-choice applicants who did not draw; its draw rate is tags over demand.
- Antlerless, any legal weapon — Residents: 1,237 demand for 55 tags, a 4.4% draw rate; Nonresidents: 52 demand for 6 tags, a 11.5% draw rate.
- Antlerless, any legal weapon — Residents: 567 demand for 50 tags, a 8.8% draw rate; Nonresidents: 59 demand for 5 tags, a 8.5% draw rate.
- Antlered, any legal weapon — Residents: 336 demand for 40 tags, a 11.9% draw rate; Nonresidents: 256 demand for 4 tags, a 1.6% draw rate.
- Antlered, any legal weapon — Residents: 1,328 demand for 35 tags, a 2.6% draw rate; Nonresidents: 508 demand for 3 tags, a 0.6% draw rate.
- Antlered, archery — Residents: 144 demand for 20 tags, a 13.9% draw rate; Nonresidents: 223 demand for 2 tags, a 0.9% draw rate.
- Antlerless, muzzleloader — Residents: 112 demand for 18 tags, a 16.1% draw rate; Nonresidents: 9 demand for 2 tags, a 22.2% draw rate.
NDOW's hunt data publishes no points-required figure, so none is given here.
Unit Logistics & Expectations
Frequently Asked Questions
Which units does a Nevada elk tag for 231 cover?
What was hunter success for elk on units 231 in 2025?
How hard is the elk draw for units 231?
Which units does a Nevada mule deer tag for 231 cover?
What was hunter success for mule deer on units 231 in 2025?
How hard is the mule deer draw for units 231?
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Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-10-25.
- Hunt Information Sheet — Elk, 231 — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Access, Recommended hunting areas, Biologist comments · accessed 2026-10-25
- Hunt Information Sheet — Elk, 231 — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Access, Recommended hunting areas, Biologist comments · accessed 2026-10-25
- 2025 Nevada Big Game Hunt Data — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Seasons, quotas and tags issued, Demand and draw rate by residency, Hunters afield, successful hunters and hunter success, Days hunted · accessed 2026-10-25
- NDOW Hunt Unit Boundaries — unit groups (ArcGIS) — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Units 231, 1,777 square miles · accessed 2026-10-25
- Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the group — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Mahogany Mountains, Wilson Creek Range, Fortification Range, Mount Wilson 9,319 ft, White Rock Peak 9,137 ft · accessed 2026-10-25
- Hunt Information Sheet — Mule deer, 231 — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Access, Recommended hunting areas, Biologist comments · accessed 2026-10-25